Rail-joint



(No Model.)

W. H. GONNELL.

RAIL JOINT.

Patented 001:. 28, 1890.

IIGC-i.

INYENTOR;

WITNESSESf I -Letters Patent are hereinafter specifically UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC WILLIAM H. OONNELL, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,118, dated October 28, 1890.

Application filed February 21, 1890. Serial No. 341,325. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. OoNNELL, of Wilmington, county of New Castle, State of Delaware, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Rail-Joint, of which the following is a true and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to the construction of a device for supporting the ends of two adjoining railway-rails, so as to give this part of the track increased strength and maintain the rail ends at a substantially uniform level.

It consists of a new supporting device and of certain new appliances especially adapted for use with my joint.

The nature of my invention will be best understood as described in connection with the drawings in which it is illustrated, and the novel features which I desire to protect by pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my rail-joint constructed in theway in whichlprefer to form it; Fig. 2, an end View of the same; Fig. 3, an end view of a portion of the plate used in my preferred construction. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modification of my device; Fig. 5, an end view of the same; Fig. 6, an end View of one of the beams or chords which form an important part of the said construction. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of still another modification of my device; Fig. 8, an end view thereof, and Fig. 9 an end view of the special beam or chord employed in this construction.

A A are railway-rails abutting against each other at a. B B are ties; O, fish-plates or splices of the ordinary character; D, bolts securing the fish-plates in place.

E E, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, are beams formed by bending the sides of a plate E into the U form shown, a flange E being formed outside of the said beams, as shown. The ends of the U -beamsE are beveled, as shown at e e, in converging planes.

F F are tie-rods, bent as shown, so that their ends extend through the cavities e of the U- beams E and extend beyond the beams substantially atright angles to their beveled ends 6.

f f are nuts screwing on the ends of the tierods F.

G is a strut placed beneath the joint a, formed between the rails A A, and supported upon the tie-rods E E.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 angle-bars E E are secured by rivets to plates H to form a beam, one of which is secured upon ties H H on each side of the rails. The ends of the angle-bars E are beveled in the same way as the U- beams E and serve the same purpose as said beams E, as is shown in the drawings.

In Figs. 7, 8, and 9 forgings or castings E E are secured to a pipe-section E said forgings resting upon continuous ties on each side of the rails and being connected to form a supporting beam or chord by the pipe-section E, as shown. A hole or perforation e is formed in the forge or cast blocks to permit the ends of the tie-rod to pass through them, and they are beveled in the same way as the U -b'eam E.

In laying the track, where my first and preferred modification is employed, the plate E, with the U-beams E formed upon its sides, is placed so as to bridge over. the two contiguous ties between which the joint of the rail comes. The rail is then let down upon the plate, and the strut G, which may conveniently be made, as shown, of a short section of rail, is placed beneath the joint so as to rest upon the tie-rods F F. The nuts f are then screwed up upon the ends of the tie-beams, drawing the strut up against the plate E beneath the joint of the rails, and the structure is then complete. In the other modification shown the beams or chords can be more conveniently used in connection with a track already laid, but in all other respects they are arranged with joints formed in the same way as above described.

In my improved device the joint is supported by trusses arranged on each side of the rail and resting uponthe ties. The joints support, but are not connected in any way to the rails, and the supportingbeam extending from tie to tie and connecting the two ends of the tie-rods relieves the ties them selves from any function except forming abutments for the trusses.

Having now described my invention, What-I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A rail-supporting truss consisting of parallel beams or chords situated on each side of the rails, each formed of two parallel upwardly-extending plates united together at top or bottom and having their'ends beveled'in converging planes, in combination with a strut situated beneath the rails and tie-rods passing beneath the strut and between the plates of each beam.

2. A rail-joint-supporting truss consisting 15 of a plate adapted to pass beneath the base of two adjoining rails and bent to form U-shaped beams on each side of the rails, said beams having beveled ends, as described, in combination with a strut arranged beneath the rail- 20 joint and tie-rods extending beneath said strut and through the ends of the beams, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

WM. H. CONNELL. Witnesses:

GEO. TATNALL, E. 0. SMITH. 

